Laudato sie, mi' Signore, cum tucte le tue creature, spetialmente messor lo frate sole, lo qual è iorno, et allumini noi per lui. Et ellu è bellu e radiante cum grande splendore, de te, Altissimo, porta significatione.
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
- Saint Francis, Il Cantico delle Creature
Brother Sun accompanied us on the long, steep climb to the Sanctuary of La Verna that concludes the Via Ghibellina, and so did Federico's friend Jacopo, who lives in the Valle Santa, the Holy Valley below La Verna.
We started out later than planned because we spent so much time at Santa Maria del Sasso, on the way out of Bibbiena. After visiting the upper church, the lower chapels and the cloister, we rang the monks' bell to ask for a stamp on our pilgrim passports, and the friendly 88-year-old monk who answered took us all the way around again, with explanations! The church is built on a rocky outcrop on which the Madonna appeared in 1347; the tip of the rock emerges behind the altar in the upper church, while the rest may be seen in the chapel below, along with a beautiful 15th-century Madonna and child carved in wood. Outside and in the cloister are frescoes illustrating the many miracles wrought by this Madonna del Sasso over the centuries. Macabre scenes of accidents in which she had intervened to save the victim kept us entertained and distracted us from the Way.
When we finally resumed walking, we followed the orange arrows uphill then down again to Campi, where we had to ford the river: the bridge was closed and construction of a new one underway. While Sara, Federico and Jacopo took off their boots and forded the river, the gallant construction workers laid down planks enabling us ladies to cross over the narrowest spot without getting our feet wet.
From the river it was uphill all the rest of the way. We had imagined a green, shady path through the woods similar to the climb up to Vallombrosa two days ago, but much of today's stage was in the sun or half-sun, so we had to take frequent breaks in the rare patches of shade.
Waiting for us at the top was my husband Silvio, who rode his bike 117 km from Buonconvento just to wish me a happy birthday and bring me the most appropriate gift for the occasion: three packets of trail mix!
On May 8, 1213, Count Orlando of Chiusi made a gift of Mount Penna, on the southern slope of which the Sanctuary of La Verna is located, to Saint Francis, as he wrote, "for the health of my soul". It is here that the saint received the stigmata in 1224, and it is considered one of the holiest sites in Italy.
We will stop here tonight in the Foresteria of the Sanctuary. Sara ends her walk here, having completed the 100 km Via Ghibellina, and will spend some time with her local friends before attempting to find her way home via public transport!
After attending the service in the church, we had a tour of the monastery grounds courtesy of Jacopo, who lives nearby and has come here many times.
Congratulazioni a tutti voi e grazie per tuo blog
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Well done, Silvio! Better not to tell him he could have wished you Happy Birthday via WhatsAp! Congratulations, Joanne!!
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